Jobs & the Internet

Job hunting online can be overwhelming and confusing - enter a search for "jobs" online and you will find ads, maps of job-related businesses, job news, etc., but how do you navigate through all this information to find what you want?

Finding good job opportunities has changed a lot over the last few years. The Internet has made it easier in some ways and harder in others, but it's practically a necessity now as many jobs are only listed online. To successfully find good jobs and develop a career using online tools, you need to:

What does YOUR online presence look like?

Often referred to as a "digital footprint," this is a digital record of everything you do online - whether its visiting a website, chatting with friends, posting reviews to restaurants you have visited, uploading pictures and video and even just writing on your friend's Facebook wall. Your online presence is your online life. Take a few moments to review these steps so you can see what's out there about you.

Search yourself

Open up different search engines (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, etc.) and see what comes up. Do you recognize the images that comes up? Does the info you see reflect who you are, or how you want to be represented? Is the information outdated?

If you don't like what you see, there are some steps you can take to delete the information. Contact your friend who posted that picture of you on Facebook, and ask them to take down or untag the photo. If you find that your information is popping up on social media sites you used to use, but no longer are active in, close those accounts. JustDelete.Me is a directory of direct links to delete your account from web services. It paints a very clear picture of what accounts are easy to remove and which onese are impossible. Stay on top of your information and understand that it may take awhile for your information to disappear from searches.

Online tools to help you search for jobs

Job Search Sites

There are a number of job search sites available online to help connect you with who's hiring. Several of these offer a job alert service you can sign up for that will notify you when a job that fits your needs is accepting applications. This will cut down on the amount of time it takes to comb through open jobs that are not in your area of interest, as well as allow you get alerts from several different job search sites.

Seatte.gov/jobs offers career opportunities of more than 1,100 job titles from 26 departments. Here is the video link to a step-by-step guide to applying online for City of Seattle jobs.

Seattle Youth Employment Program offers a school year round (for youth 14-21), a summer internsthip program (for youth 15 - 17) and an out of school (for youth 16 - 21) attending Seattle schools or those who have dropped out of school.

W.A.G.E.S. (Working to Achieve Growth in Employment Skills) Internship is an 8 week paid internship for those 18-22 years old struggling with homelessness, teaching skill building workshops and job readiness activities. Contact NaCouobi Jiles at 206-749-7578 or njiles@seattleymca.org

AARP.org offers information about job and self-employment options for job seekers over 50.

CareerBuilder.com is among the leading job boards providing job listings, resume posting, career advice and resources to job seekers.

Careers.wa.gov alerts you of jobs available in Washington State government.

LinkUp.com is known for helping you to avoid spam, scams and duplicate job listings. They also monitor for unadvertised jobs by listing the jobs from company websites - this helps you to get the most current listings.

Monster.com allows you to browse jobs by company, location or by categories & industries.

USAJobs.gov is a job board for those seeking jobs in the federal government and their agencies.

US.Jobs is the website of the National Labor Exchange working to provide the most up-to-date job opportunities. Their mission is to improve the labor market and directly connect employers and job seekers.

Job Search Tools & Resources

The Internet also offers many tools that can help you with managing your job search process. There are a lot out there, so be selective, look into them and select the one that you think you can stick with. Some things to consider are whether you can access these sites from anywhere, are they simple to use, and does it offer more of the features you like in one place.

Here are some that we've found that are free and come recommended by our partners:

LinkedIn.com is the world's largest professional online networking site, with over 277,000,000 members. Here you can post your profile information, which includes your past jobs, your photo, and your interest areas both personal and professional. You an also connect to others through your email accounts and encourage them to endorse your skills, while you endorse theirs.

Becomed.com is a free online tool that you can use to manage your job search. You can track applications you've submitted, store your resume and cover letter templates, and strategize what the next steps in your job search will be.

JibberJobber.com is an online tool to help you manage your job search process and progress. You can keep track of your contacts, what information you have sent them, interview dates, follow up notes, and tracking people you know working at these companies. The regular account is free and includes the ability to keep track of up to 500 contacts and 500 companies.

GlassDoor.com not only helps to connect you with the jobs that are available out there, it also provides a listing of over 6 million company reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary reports, interview reviews and questions, office photos and more.

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Making Online Connections

You probably have a number of people who are willing to pass on a job opportunity when it becomes available. Have you thought about moving those connections online? While employers are looking for you - they also want to see who you know and how they may already be connected with you. They often do this to see if you will be a good "fit" for their employment "family." We often spend more time at work than anywhere else, so a good fit is important and one way to see this is through your online connections.

Many people are using LinkedIn.com, to network online. Here you can post your profile information, which includes past jobs, your photo, and your interest areas both personal and professional. You an also connect to others through your email accounts and encourage them to endorse your skills, while you endorse theirs.

Here are few extra steps you can take to help you successfully build an online network:

Create an email signature with a link to your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or other social media tools your use to connect with others.